In 2013, Punta Gorda police shot and killed 19 year old Rasheed Eligio who had escaped from custody. Police Constable Daniel Griffith was charged for manslaughter, while Constable Leo Cho was charged for abetment to manslaughter.
Well, yesterday in the Southern Session of the Supreme Court in Dangriga, a jury deliberated for four hours before returning with a "not guilty" verdict for PC Cho, but they were unable to reach a verdict for PC David Griffith. Griffith who remains on interdiction will have to be tried again.
Justice Denis Hanomansingh told PC Cho he was free to go while Griffith remains free on bail, and he is to reappear in the Supreme Court for the April session to learn when his retrial will start.
Cho was represented by Dickie Bradley and Griffith was represented by Oscar Selgado.
The two cops were chasing escapees Rasheed Elijio and Brian Garcia. The crown's main witness, was the escapee who survived, Brian Garcia. He told the court that Griffith fired a shot with a .38 revolver at Elijio, who was hiding up in a tree. He fell to the ground and later died at the PG hospital. The Eligio family maintains that it was a reckless and indiscriminate use of Lethal force against someone who was not convicted of any crime.
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